Fluoride News Tracker

Tooth decay: a sad national epidemic caused by lack of dentists who care and not a fluoride need. Extensive lobbying, political maneuvering and expensive public relations campaigns by organized dentistry sway legislators to add fluoride chemicals into public water supplies, 2/3 of which already are, to benefit those whom dentists neglect. Protecting their high-salaried monopoly, dentists lobby against dental groups offering quality, cheaper fixes. Fluoride product makers benefit most.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Fluoride Not Stopping Seattle's Cavity Crisis

Dental Practice Management: "We see a steady stream of patients coming into the emergency department with dental problems, most of which are not true emergencies," Brian Livingston, MD, vice president of medical affairs for Swedish Medical Center's First Hill campus in [fluoridated] Seattle, told the WDSF. "We can try to alleviate the pain, but we aren't dentists. We can't address the underlying problem or provide the vital preventive care that would significantly decrease the number of emergency dental visits."

Since the 2011 Medicaid cuts, "we have provided much more emergency care," added Sarah Vander Beek, DMD, who treats low-income patients at Neighborcare Health's Rainier Beach Medical and Dental Clinic in South Seattle. "Unfortunately, we are treating dental disease when it's more advanced, complex, and expensive. What could have been a filling is now an extraction."

“One of the most common calls I get ... comes from seniors who say, ‘I can't get dentures. How am I supposed to eat?’ ”

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Grand Rapids Dental Needs Great despite fluoridation

Grand Rapids was the first city to add fluoride chemicals into their residents via the water supply to stop tooth decay. Fluoridation began in Grand Rapids in 1945. Today it's reported that dental needs are great.

One-day clinic provides free dental care to seniors | MLive.com: “We are looking for more dentist, hygienists and great partners, like the Grand Rapids Community College Dental Clinic, to volunteer their services and expertise for events like this,” Kropiewnicki said. “There is a big need in our community and we are hopeful that volunteers will step up so we can expand these events and serve more seniors.”

Only about 20 percent of dentists accept Medicaid, so it is difficult to find ones accepting new patients, agency officials said.
“This population we are serving at Senior Dental Day often has complex dental issues due to the fact that they haven’t been to a dentist in some time and we needed to be sure they were preforming the necessary care ahead of time,” said event organizer Nancy Kropiewnicki.